July Rudolf Days

I had the idea for this card a while back but had not managed to make it into reality.

I'm not sure if the photo really shows but it is gold on green. 
I embossed a piece of white card, inked in green and then sponged on gold pigment ink. I've found that this ink pad is not great for stamping but rubs on quite well. I know there is a better gold pad available now but I've just had a spending spree so no new purchases for a little long while. I'll play with what  have for now (which is plenty).
I managed to stick the embossing down off centre so had to trim both sides tight but I think it looks ok, almost planned!
This is a Sissix embossing folder. I don't know what it's called and was pleased that I'd made Christmas  card with a non Christmassy folder. But loooking at it now, I'm wondering if it is a Christmas folder? Hehe. It has berries on it.
So I've just got time to link with July Rudolf Days where it is Christmas once a month.

Orange swirls

I think I've just got time for a quick post.
Here is a card I'm entering into the Stamplorations CAS card challenge:

I love stamplorations stamps and all the wonderful inspiration on the blog. I mean to have a go more often, trying out all the ideas, or at least a fraction of them. 

 

This is a birthday card for my son whose birthday is coming up soon. He is actually artistic, not like me who just wants to be, so he'll appreciate the colours and swirls. Here is his latest work: (yes, I'm a very proud Mum)

He is an illustrator so if any wants anything illustrating give him a shout. 

https://www.facebook.com/tomcharlesworthillustration/?fref=ts

Denim and dimension

I needed a little sanity after a crazy day at work...
 but I couldn't find any so I've come here instead! I'm visiting my friends in the Playground and Butterfly Garden.
Mrs A's current challenge is D for Dimension and/or Denim. (Do you know as I type this there is no cursor today, which adds an un-needed element of interest to blogging.)
I've taken the denim idea to heart and made a fun card.

I started with the plan of making a pocket shaped swing card. I made a paper template first but even so there was a fair amount of cutting and scoring in the wrong place.
The denim is made by using a Faded Jeans ink pad and dragging it down some paper. 
The butterfly is an inky Doodles stamp. I hoped it would look like it was embroidered on the pocket. I tried a different stamp initially then remembered that I had this one which suits much better.  

I added the important double stitching with a pink, sparkly gel pen. The colours were inspired by Mrs A's card, I liked the blue and pink together.
The silver studs are made by using a flower die and saving the tiny circle centre that you might normally throw away (or save in a box if you are really obsessive). The silver card is saved packaging.
I've made this for my daughter's birthday which is not until the end of August so I am very organised. Pat on the head please. She is away just now and, though I am not consciously missing her, maybe I am sub-consciously. She is having a ball in Berlin so I am very happy that she is happy.
Flower die - Leanne Creatief
Butterfly - Inky Doodle
Button die - X Cut
Sentiments - Hobby Art
I'd like to link this to the Butterfly Challenge and Pixie's Snippets Playground. 
I've used snippets of card for the flowers an buttons so I can have a run around the playground or maybe just sit in the shade with a cool drink. Water fight anyone?

Snowflakes in July

It's a beautiful, warm sunny summer day today, so I am posting a Christmas card!
This embossed paper has been kicking around since I made a card a while back and embossed it the wrong way up. I'd chosen the blue paper, stamped some flourishes onto it and then placed it in the embossing folder the wrong way up which results in the snowflakes being de-bossed. I made another one for that project but kept this to use again. 

So it was perfect for this blue silver and white challenge from 52 Christmas Card Throwdown.

 I've added some silver thread and an embossed silver sentiment, which is straight even though it looks squint.
Now I'm off to enjoy the sunshine. I hope you get it too. 
x

Sunny butterfly

I was being a a bit dense. (Nothing new there). I wanted to make a card for the Butterfly challenge which is currently:

#57  Butterflies + Y is for Years

with the additional option of  Y is for the colour Yellow.

Years is to be numbers, dates, etc. I don't have any special birthdays or occasions to make just now so I was stumped. Then I realised it is either /or. I always try to include both but I don't have to. So here is my card with just yellow and a butterfly:

I stamped the flower, butterfly and swirls in Versamark and then embossed in clear. I spritzed with water and then sprinkled on Brushos. Yellow on the flower and butterfly and then a little green. The spritzed some more and went away and left it. It didn't look great but drying does the trick. 
When it was completely dry, I ironed it between pieces of paper and the embossing melts off on to the paper.  That was the easy bit.
Here is a closer look:

I'm not sure if that really shows it or not.
I was stumped about how to make it into a card. 
I chose kraft as I thought I'd done it on cream paper,then realised I hadn't. LOL. Anyway it suits it. 
I stamped the sentiment onto the paper. Then I didn't like it. 
Stamped sentiment and cut out on a white strip. Added green lines top and bottom and taped it on over the stamped one. Then I didn't like it. 
The green was wrong.  
Tried to pull it off but I have bought some very good tape so was in danger of ripping the artwork. My old tape would have come right off.
THEN I got a piece of kraft, stamped and stuck it over the stamped sentiment and the white card one! Finally I was happy. Hehe. I know, I'm a perfectionist and it is only a card. 
It's taken me three goes to write this post. The main problem was the photos not loading and then blogger not saving but I think I'm there now. Fun and games with the old internet. Obvously no-one is up and using it yet today. 
Have a good weekend everyone and I hope the sun shines for you at least some of the time.

 

Christmas sketch

I've managed to make a card for the 52ChristmasCardThrowdown. This week the challenge is a sketch. A nice simple one.

Here is my card:

I stamped the little house first then coloured it bright blue. I drew round my cutting shape with a smallish embossing tool then masked off the circle and the house. 
I stamped the trees in Eggplant then lightly sponged the sky in the background. When I took the mask off, I didn't like the colour of the house so I went over again in pink to give a more purpley colour which goes better with the trees. I was very careful as I find that going over again can lead to it bleeding out of the lines. 
Then I just needed to add the sentiment and add a little sparkle to the trees. 
The house stamp is Polka Doodles and the others were free with a magazine.
I've been so busy in my garden. Lots of plantng and sowing but mainly battling the weeds and the slugs (ugh) so I've had less time to indulge in stamping. When I need to sit down I creep in and colour or stamp something then head back out. I'm not complaining, I love it!
The garden is blooming though, all the rain has done some good and this is the time when all the hard work pays off. There is some benefit to our climate, here in the UK!
I'm also linking to the Paper Players who, I've just noticed, have a Christmas in July theme.

        

Birthday balloons

Needing inspiration for a card for one of my nephews, it arrived in the form of this Birthday Blog hop inspiration photo.

 
I love these balloon stamps,I'm happy stamping and colouring them again and again.

It came together very quickly and for once went to plan. The inspiration for the rounded corners was from the packet of stamps which are on acetate with rounded corners. I like it. 
Stamps used were Stamplorations Balloons and Banners coloured with Pro-markers.